I Ain't Gonna Paint No More!

Using the song "It Ain't Gonna Rain No More" as a starting point, author Karen Beaumont spins a rhyming tale about a young boy who just can't seem to stop painting - especially himself! Full of exuberance, and a love of bright colors, his painterly instincts break out, even after his mother had forbidden him from continuing. The only thing that can put an end to his artistic depredations is... running out of paint!

Although unfamiliar with the song upon which it is based, I found I Ain't Gonna Paint No More! quite entertaining, and was reminded a bit of stories like A Day with No Crayons, about a girl who marks up her bedroom wall, and Oh, Were They Ever Happy!, about a group of children left home alone on a Saturday, who paint their show more house (and themselves). These sorts of associations are always welcome to me, and increased my enjoyment of Beaumont's tale and artist David Catrow's colorful illustrations. Recommended to all young would-be painters, who feel they simply can't contain the creative impulses within... show less

Summary: A mother catches her child painting pictures on the floor, ceiling, walls, curtains, and the door and told him, “Ya ain’t a-gonna paint no more!” And puts away his paint. The boy is seen getting the paint from where his mother hid it and begins painting his head, neck, chest, arm, hand, back, leg, feet, and his whole room! Although covered with paint the boy he continues to paint until his mother catches him and throws him in a bath!'

Personal Response: A fun and colorful book that shows a child’s creativity and eagerness to paint everything and anything. Each page captures the reader’s eyes and makes the reader anticipating what is to come next, and what he is to paint next!

Curriculum Connection: This book can be used show more in Pre-K-2nd-grade art class to show creativity, imagination and just having fun when creating art. It can also be used to teach body parts as the character in the book paints various body parts. show less

This book is really great to read to small children. As I read this it reminded me of my son when he was younger and he would take it upon himself to draw on the walls and pretty much decorate his room with crayons. I think that this book is great to put into perspective to both the child and the parent that this is more common than one thinks, both the act and the reaction.

When Mama catches her son 'paintin' pictures on the floor/and the ceiling/and the walls/and the curtains/and the door,' she sticks him in the tub and declares, 'Ya ain't a-gonna paint no more!' Fresh from his bath, the child rescues his hidden supplies and says, 'So I take some red/and I paint my…/HEAD!' Subsequent rhymes move from neck down to feet as he adds gobs of color to different areas. Since the last word of each verse comes on the following page, readers get the satisfaction of completing the anticipated rhyme and seeing each newly painted body part with each page turn. Catrow splashes color all over, uses white space cleverly, and includes playful flourishes, such as a marching row of ants on the boy's arm and Easter egg show more designs on his leg. Elongated figures and exaggerated expressions match the silly tone of the story, and the concerned dog who observes the antics is particularly amusing. With rhymes that invite audience participation and scenes that draw the eye, this is a strong storytime choice. Based on the song 'It Ain't Gonna Rain No More,' show less

What a fun book! From beginning to end, the reader is enthralled with the narrators wild behavior. Not only is it a fun read, but the dialect gives a complete shift from standard English.

The language is one of the most powerful aspects of this book; even though the main character is a little boy, the way he talks is clear he is very strong-willed and independent. "One day my mama caught me paintin' pictures on the floor and the ceiling," and pretty much every other place in the living room. After taking a bath, his mama hides the paint but our main character finds a way to get it down and you won't believe what he paints next.

This wild book captures the heart of anyone who appreciates raw art. I would highly recommend!

We start with a bouncy rhythm, as the kid describes how his paints got taken away.

Then he gleefully (to the tune of "It Ain't Gonna Rain No More", of course) sneaks to the closet starts painting his whole body (and, incidentally, the rest of the pristine white house!)

I love the color, and I love the rhythm. Seriously, I'm reading this every day to my two nieces, age 5 and 3. They can't get enough of it!

I will note that there is a scene where the kid almost paints his (now naked) butt (singing "But I'm such a nut, I'm gonna paint my...." before his mother walks in with a timely "WHAT?!?" to end the fun again), and, of course, this whole book is about a child misbehaving willfully (he climbed onto several boxes to retrieve his paint from show more the closet, after his mother told him to stop at the start of the book). But it's such fun that I think so long as you're clear that This Is Not Cool In Real Life that your children won't misunderstand and start misbehaving in your own home. show less

Extremely creative, colorful, and funny. Love how the illustrator incorporates doodles into the book. Promotes early childhood development through rhyme and music. Reinforces colors and body part vocabulary. Great book to inspire kids to express their creativity.